


From The Ink Stains

by Circus_Craze



Series: Bendy and the Ink Machine Fics [2]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Angst, Body Horror, Fluff, Hatred, Humor, Loss of Humanity, Loss of Identity, Multi, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reminiscing, Roommates, Silly, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-30
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-07-04 13:19:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15842109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Circus_Craze/pseuds/Circus_Craze
Summary: My second collection of Bendy and the Ink Machine oneshots.





	1. Room Buddies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bendy moves into Wally’s apartment. Cuteness ensues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they were roommates. 
> 
> Sorry, I couldn't resist. Anyway, Dxrksong had me thinking about how these two would react. I feel like they'd be best friends and pull pranks together. I hope you all enjoy this!

The first thing Bendy saw were shoes. They were at the door, six pairs of them. One pair appeared old and worn out, another seemed new, and the next seemed really fuzzy. The one beside that had an open top with a strap going over it. The fifth was flat and shiny, and the sixth was tall, really tall. A boot. He blinked as he looked at them, holding his suitcase in his hand. The shoes were here. Were they supposed to go there? He looked down at his own shoes, picking up one of his feet. The shoe didn’t look like it would come off. He contemplated trying to take it off, but Wally spoke.

“Bendy? Everything okay?”

The little toon looked up at him, nodding slowly before looking back at the shoes. “Why…do you have so many shoes?”

“Well um, they’re for different things and seasons. That sort of thing. I’ll explain later, but we should probably get your suitcase put up.”

“Different things? You mean they don’t stay on your feet all the time?” All Bendy has seen Wally in were these slick, bright yellow boots.

“Nope, not for us. We can take them off. Like this.” Wally took off his boots. Bendy was surprised. He had thought maybe some shoes stayed on forever. He nodded, finally satisfied at the moment. He moved away from the shoes and let Wally lead him into the house.

“This is the living room. It’s pretty much the main room in the house besides the kitchen. People stay in here a lot. Especially if you have guests over. You can go ahead and put your suitcase on the couch.”

Bendy put his suitcase on the couch as Wally said, looking around the room. There was a rocking chair and couch, and Bendy saw what he figured was a TV. There was a shelf with books on it, and a radio. It looked different than the one he listened to music on, but he figured it worked.

“This is the kitchen. It’s not as big as most, but it works. There’s the table, stove, sink, oven, cabinets, and those sorts of things. Which you know already, but I’ve never given a tour before.”

Bendy looked at the tile on the floor. There were little squares. He could stay in them if he stayed on the tips of his…toes? He did have toes, right? He wasn’t sure, but he guessed it could be just an expression if he didn’t.

He made it out of the kitchen successfully without stepping out of the small squares. Wally was waiting for him and showed him the bathroom, and then the bedroom.

“Unfortunately there’s only one of these rooms. If I knew one day you’d be living with me, I would have gotten a two bedroom apartment, but times were tough then and well, I wasn’t expecting Joey to bring you to life honestly. Not that I’m not happy he did or anything like that though! That just means we’ll be roommates.”

“Roommates,” Bendy repeated, thinking of the word. He doesn’t think he’s ever heard of it before. He tilts his head slightly as he tries to remember. Perhaps it’s his puzzled face that prompts Wally to explain.

“That means we’ll be sharing a room. Room buddies, pals, anything really. Basically we’ll be dividing the room in half. You get that side, and I have this side.”

The sides looked identical. Bendy noticed his side had a different color of sheets and the dresser was a different color, too. Wally’s side appeared to have more stuff, but that was because he had been living here for longer. Bendy was certain he’d be able to fill a little of those empty shelves on his side with the stuff from his suitcase. Then it wouldn’t look so bare. He could do that and hang up some pictures like Wally had.

“I like it!” Bendy said cheerfully. He wondered why Wally seemed so pleased about that. Maybe he had put a lot of time putting this stuff in? There were quite a few stairs they had to climb up. He probably carried this stuff up all of them. It must have been hard, and maybe even scary. Bendy decided he’d have to give him a hug for that sometime.

“I’m really glad to hear that. When we get ahold of Henry, I’m sure you’ll probably get to live in a much nicer place than this. You’ll probably even have your own room, too.”

Bendy frowns before shaking his head. “I don’t wanna leave.” He didn’t know much about this Henry that everyone had been referring to. He did bring along some drawings and a tape that belonged to him. Everyone said he was a good person, and Bendy was originally created by him on paper. From the tape, he did seem like a good person. A good person wouldn’t make him leave if he didn’t want to.

“You don’t have to leave now. It’s gonna be about a month or so before he gets back from the annual vacation he, Linda, and their daughter take. Until then you’re stuck with me, or one of the others.”

Bendy smiled. “I wanna be stuck with you. We’re gonna be roommates! It’ll be like…a sleepover! I bet Boris and Alice aren’t going to have as much fun!”

“Well, Alice does have Susie and Allison that live with her, and Jack is pretty nice and fun.”

“I guess the Butcher Gang has sleepovers too, but they always argue and Barley snores. Really loudly, too.”

Wally laughed. “Heh, at least I don’t do that!” He looked at Bendy with a serious expression. “Do you?”

“No, but I’m good at pretending to!” The two burst out laughing.

“Well, I think we’ll get along fine together, Bendy.”

“Me too! This is going to be great!” Bendy grinned. “Now…about those shoes.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll explain the shoes. Then, we can unpack your stuff and make some dinner. How do you feel about spagetthi?”

“Who’s that?” Wally was about to open his mouth, but Bendy laughed. “I’m kidding! It sounds great! Let’s go.”

“Alright! You just wait though, Bendy. By the time Henry gets back, you’ll be a five star chef!”

“Then what?” Bendy asked, not quite grasping what the five star part meant, or what cooking was exactly. It seemed he said something funny, because Wally laughed.

“Hmm… I guess I’ll teach ya how to use the washer and dryer downstairs.”

“Alright, but I wanna teach you some stuff too. Hmmm… I’m going to teach you how to…make pillow and blanket forts.”

“That could be useful.”

“Yeah! They’re useful and fun. Also, we might need to learn the fastest way to bake pies. You know, in case you need to shove one in someone’s face.”

Wally was laughing hard. “T-then what?”

“Well, I could teach you an elaborate prank involving glue, a bucket, feathers, and a fan, but that sounds like trouble.”

“Only if you get caught.”

Bendy looked shocked, and then grinned michiviously. “That’s true…” He and Wally burst out laughing. Bendy ended up falling over on his butt and the two only laughed harder at that.

“There was this one time I got Joey real good with that one! Then there was the time I tried to scare him with loud music and accidentally broke that one Sammy guy’s radio. Oh, wait! Don’t tell him I did that!”

Wally shook his head and chuckled. Living with a toon was definitely going to be an experience he wouldn’t forget. He wasn’t worried though. He was certain they’d get along just fine.


	2. Voices Of Ink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry is shocked to find that some of the creatures he encounters not only can talk, but can be pretty sassy when they want to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a funny idea that came to me late last night. (Or, at least I thought it was kind of funny.) I hope you enjoy this!

Henry wasn't the smartest man on earth. As far as he figured, there was no such thing. Everyone was smart in their own way, he thought. He was smart. He knew enough to know the boarded up room was trouble. He should leave, or better yet, he never should have came here at all. No-one was here, except for Boris, and he wasn't exactly alive. Whatever Joey was up to here was twisted and sick. Maybe he was a victim of a mean prank. He wasn't sure, but he knew that behind the boards lied a jumpscare most likely. He knew this, but his smartness lost the fight as he walked up to get a look. Right as he expected, a large figure jumped out at him.

Henry didn't get a good enough look, because he was pushed down and fell. "Boogie!!!!" The figure on the other side yelled. It was nearly indecipherable, considering how deep and gurgly the voice was. "I got you!!!!"

Henry got up and booked it to the exit, the calls from behind him only making him go faster. "Hey, wait! Get back here!!!" It was too late. Bendy heard the crash of the floor caving in, followed by Henry's shocked cries and a loud boom. 

"Ouch. That must have hurt." The demon said, then shrugged. "Welp, I did tell him to wait, afterall. He should have. But, golly, does he run fast for an old man."

Henry wastes no time in continuing on, hoping for the exit. The pentagram only slows him down, but he wakes up more determined than ever. It seems that the ink demon wasn't the only creature after him though. He caught glimpses of an inky figure, and then got attacked by these large creatures made of ink. They didn't speak though. What did was the organ.

It was sitting in a room, large and dusty. He walked inside, pressing on a couple keys only to be let with agonized cries. It sounded like it was coming from inside the organ. He waited until the cry quieted before doing what anyone else would do, and pressed more of the keys.

The cry came again, but after it faded, a voice sounded. It was hoarse and cracked a lot from the time spent in the organ, but it was there. "Stop! Don't press the keys anymore!"

Henry, who was about to press it again, put his hands behind his back. "What, me? Press the keys? Never!" He quickly pressed another. Just one more, and then he could quit.

"Why are you doing this?!"

"I'm sorry! I just need to press the key one more time to get an achievement!"

"Don't! It isn't worth- AUUGH!! Are you done now?" The voice didn't sound angry like Henry expected, but sounded like whoever it was had burst into tears.

"Yes, I'm done." Henry answered, feeling bad now.

"T-thank Bendy. It hurts..."

"Oh. I'm so sorry. I'll leave you alone now." What was the name on the achievement again? "Johnny." The voice didn't answer, instead only letting out a shaky sigh and quiet crying noises. He patted the organ, but he doubts it did anything. 

He continued on, everything normal until he ran into the searcher with the hat on. The one that had his valve. He figured it must have been Jack, and after chasing him around, it became clear what Henry had to do. He'd have to squish Jack with the crate.

He used the lever to pull it in the air. He tried to catch Jack and lured him to the spot, where the searcher looked almost confused as he watched. Henry only sighed, hand hesitating. "I'm so sorry, Jack."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait, what are you doing with that lever?!" Henry nearly jumped a mile in the air. The searcher sunk into the ink, resurfacing by the lever. He reached to pull it down, and the crate fell. "You were going to squish me?!!!!" Jack sounded offended. 

"W-well, I-"

"Why? Why would you do such an awful thing?"

"Well, you sort of have my valve and I-"

"Your valve?! Sammy gave it to me first! About...a long time ago I think. I don't know, but it's mine. It's not yours."

"Sorry, Jack. I sort of need it though."

"Well, maybe instead of running in here and chasing me with your axe, you just tell me that you needed to borrow it."

Henry frowned. "I didn't know you could..."

"Could talk? Yeah, I can talk. Sammy taught me. I can't sing though."

"Isn't singing just like talking?"

"Sammy said I have a horrible singing voice. Being a searcher does that to you though. Anyway, you can have this. I heard Johnny screaming earlier. I'm going to check on him. Maybe even find out who was hurting him and attack them."

"A-Alright. Bye, Jack." Henry hurried out of there as fast as possible. He was not interested in staying around and being attacked by Jack. He was going to find that exit and leave this place as soon as he could, or so he thought. It seemed Sammy had other plans. Luckily, Bendy attacked the so called prophet, giving Henry just enough time to flee the room.

It seemed almost too easy. Right as he thought that, the ink demon emerged. This time, Henry wasn't having it. He had run way too much today. "You!!!" He shouted. The demon flinched and froze before pointing at itself. "Yes, you. What's the big idea here? Why are you chasing me?"

"B-because it's fun...?" The demon answered.

"Fun?! It's only fun for you. Not for me."

"Well yeah, maybe so, but it didn't prevent you from pushing the organ keys when Johnny begged you not to."

"That was different!"

"Oh? Was it, now?"

"Yes! I'm not a giant ink demon of terror chasing after an old man now, am I?"

"If you didn't like the game, why were you running?"

Henry balled his hand into a fist out of anger. He wasn't going to punch anything or anyone though. He only sighed heavily. That was such a Joey thing to do. The man always got under his skin like that. "You're Joey, aren't you?"

"Uhhh... I don't know."

"How can you not know?!"

The demon shrugged. "I don't know, but I just have no idea. Maybe I'll know later."

Well, there was no arguing about that. "Okay, I see. Well, just let me know when you know."

"Alright." The demon shifts a bit. This wasn't the way the chase was supposed to go.

"You're still not off the hook, mister. In fact, you're going to do something for me."

"What?"

Henry grinned evilly. "You're going to run, and I'm going to chase you. Let's see how you like it." He started to run at Bendy, the demon letting out a shriek before running. 

'Yep,' Bendy thought to himself, 'for an old man, Henry definitely can run fast.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack's dialogue was inspired a bit by this art made by Lexipup. You should check it out here: http://lexipup13.tumblr.com/post/173613060987/lexipup13-oh-hey-sammy-and-his-doggo-meet-jack


	3. The Hat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack reflects on his current state, memories, and where he'll go from there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a revision of a fic I wrote when I first heard about Jack Fain. It was before anything was known about the character, so after the chapter came out, I revisited it and changed it to fit better. It was originally posted on Tumblr.
> 
> This has some angst and can be viewed as a sort of shipping type one shot, or not. I don't really view it as being that shippy, so that's why I posted it here instead of with my other shipping oneshots. It's up to interpretation though. I hope you all enjoy!

My hat was all I had left. It was the only thing that remained of the person I once was. It reminded me that I had once been human before, and not always stuck as what I am now. Without it, I don't think I'd be able to remember anything about myself. Everything had been thrown into the swirl of darkness and uncertainty. 

All that I felt was despair and guilt. Guilt that I hadn't stopped this. That I was unable to do anything now to help the ones I cared about. I know if I had asked someone, they'd tell me it wasn't my fault. That I never could have known about what was going to happen to me. That I couldn't save the others even if I had been able to try.

I never got told that, because I couldn't ask. My throat was filled with ink, the very thing that made up my body. I couldn't speak, and even if I wanted to, I couldn't. The concept of words had almost faded away. The only thing left was the screaming voices that were always there in the ink. On my good days, I could hear it in the back of my head. On my bad days, it seemed to be all that I could hear. 

I wanted to get away from it. To be as far away from the voices and the ink as possible. I couldn't, though. The thing that ended my existence wasn’t letting me go. It would never let me go. It held on too tight. It was pointless to try to fight it. How could you get away from something skin deep?

I remained as what I was, unable to free my body or mind. I was stuck in the confines of the building, stuck inside the place that had become my tomb. I saw others that I couldn’t recognize. Were they the friends I had made? The nameless faces I passed everyday? The thought of it was too much. They didn’t escape either. We were all trapped, left in the darkness and reaching for something unseen. Our ticket for freedom.

They all found His hand. I never trusted that voice. The voice that sounded too smooth and confident. The others would chant, following His voice with their own. He promised freedom, and that’s what they wanted more than anything. They believed him.

I didn’t. The demon would never free us. The others were blinded by their desperation, but I knew he’d never be the answer. His methods were to do the same to others what had been done to us. To destroy the one that caused it all. If we were able to stop the one who had betrayed us, the ink demon would set us free. 

I didn't trust Him, but the one did. The one with the mask. I couldn't remember his name, but I know how close we were. On my bad days, he came to me. He would sing, letting me rest my tired head on his lap and stay there as long as I needed. He would try to get me to sing. I never could, but occasionally I would remember a couple of words. Other times I would just groan. It was never anything close to singing, but he would always congratulate me like I did what he wanted. Maybe he knew how hard I was trying.

He trusted the demon. The man was His biggest follower. His prophet. He would tell me that Bendy would set us free. Him, me, and everyone else. He'd promise me things like that when he visited. I knew he couldn't give me those things, but I trusted him. Perhaps the demon could set us free. 

I didn't want to participate in it though. To take someone's life and their chance of freedom was a cruel thing to do. I couldn’t do what had been done to me to another. Even if he had betrayed us. 

Still, when the prophet came to me the one day, talking about how the traitor was back, I listened. He told me this was our chance. All I had to do was hold on to the valve, just like I did my hat. If I kept ahold of it, the traitor wouldn't be able to go. He would be taken and then we'd all be free, our memories given back to us. It was a long shot, but I couldn't deny the prophet of his memories, and not the others either. That's why I took the valve.

Maybe Bendy could set us free. Maybe He was the answer after all. I didn't know, but I would hold onto this valve and play my part. For our memories. For our freedom. For him. The man who's name I was struggling so hard to find. For.....Sammy.


	4. You and Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ink Demon reflects on his relationship with Bendy and his cartoon world, and how he's supposed to be the little dancing demon that's loved by all.
> 
> Warning: This has chapter 5 spoilers.

The first time I saw your face was on the cardboard of the cutout leaning against the wall in the room where I took my first, gasping breath. Smile wide and genuine, eyes piecut and body small, you looked at me. I smiled back, the two of us grinning, even through the angered voices that sounded out. Perhaps, we were alike in more ways than one. 

The first time I saw my face was on the shiny reflection of the black murky liquid left from my body. We seemed identical. Both of us had horns, and a big, wide smile. I even had your bowtie. We were alike, but not quite. Not in the ways they wanted. As I found out, they wanted you. Instead, they got me. 

I was free to roam the place, your smile the only one that I saw from those around me. Everywhere I went seemed to bring sadness and anger. The veins that webbed across the room brought all the joy and happiness to a halt. The eyes that stared at me was unkind, and voices whispered words that were harsh. I moped around the area, limping and trying to find purpose. All I saw was your face. You were everywhere. You were loved. I was not. While they loved you, they despised me. 

The man that owned the place and oversaw the machine that gave birth to me referred to me as a thing. He wouldn't even look at me. Another performed a couple tests and made it clear from his actions that he felt the same. The one they referred to as Wally would complain before ultimately fleeing when I showed up. The only one that didn't utter an ill word or glare was the toymaker, but I always thought that perhaps it was fear that stilled his tongue. That changed when I met him. 

I remember the day I found him. The shelves down in the toy factory housed plushies. Your face was shown, grin wide and body the way it should be. I reached out to touch, but pulled my hand back. I couldn't ruin the perfection. The thing that I wasn't. Instead, I simply admired the rows of them, and then found myself inside the room where the toymaker was. 

On the ground were plushies. I bent down to pick them up. I noticed this one plushie. It was wearing a grin that was slightly crooked and a bit widerer than the others. It was you, but you looked a bit more like me this time. I placed the others on the shelf, and then looked at the unique one. I was looking when a voice spoke, shocking me. 

"You can have that one." I looked up to see a man. He nodded at the plushie. "Mr. Drew won't like it. The grin's too crooked. Might as well go ta someone that'll  actually be appreciatin' it." 

I held the plushie a bit tighter and sat down with my find. I waited for more plushies to fall or get stuck in the gears of the machine. When that happened, I'd get them out, careful that I wouldn't ruin them. I was carefully putting one of your plushies on a shelf when he spoke again. 

"You're Bendy, right?" He asked, apparently noticing my liking to your plushies. The truth was that I honeslty didn't know who I was. You were Bendy. I was not. I just look blankly at him, unsure. "Ya don't look much like 'im, but looks aren't everything. You know, I got a bit a leftover supplies. I'll make ya a plushie of yourself. One that looks like ya. It'll be a gift for helpin' me out." 

I don't remember if he ever got to finish it that day. It was close to being done when the man who created me and the one that ran tests came in. A few others came in as well. 

"Mr. Drew. What are you and all these people doin' down here? Have ya all come down ta yell at me?" 

"We've come for the demon. It's an abomination and needs locked up." Drew said, eyes seeming to burn holes through my body. 

"Whaddya mean? It's Bendy, ain't it? Doesn't look like 'im, but it's Bendy. He was bein' a big help with my work. He picked up plushies that fell and unclogged my machine." 

"That creature is nothing like the cartoon character it's based on. It has to be done." The other man known as Thomas said. 

I remember them grabbing me, my plushie falling to the ground. Drew stayed behind to yell about how the toymaker was wasting time. Then, he turned to the plushies. "Those will need destroyed. It ruined them," he said. He scooped up all your plushies and threw them into the trash. I cried out, but couldn't get out of their grips. 

I was brought down below and was chained painfully to a seat. A broken throne for a broken creature. A thing, an it. Drew came down and made the projections play. He left me down there, forcing me to watch you and your world. 

It was such a lovely place there. You were amazing and loved by all. Your friends were nice. Boris was a funny and kind soul that loved food. Alice was a beautiful angel that loved to sing and dance. Even the bad guys weren't nearly as bad as the people here. Everything there was perfect. 

That's when I began to understand. I was supposed to be you. They wanted me to be you. I wanted it, too. More than anything in the world. Maybe, maybe I could be you. As I kept watching, my memories were hard to get away from the cartoons. Bendy. I...am...Bendy. I...am Bendy. I am Bendy. Bendy. Bendy. 

I finally break free. The halls are desolate, and your face looks back at me from the cutouts. As I wander, I find the toy maker's office. On the desk is the plushie that I had a liking for all those years ago, and the new one of me. A bow was around it, and the tag was to me. He did end up finishing it. 

I kept them safe in my sanctuary, hiding away and watching your world. Your cartoons. When the man comes, I fight to protect you. The memories of you need to be safe. I can't live without them. 

I realize now that there was never any hope of me becoming you. No matter how hard I try, I could never be you. I'm not you. I'm a husk of all you were supposed to be and despised by all. Even by the man that created you. When the finale comes on, I hold onto my plushies and feel myself fade away. I wasn't you. I wasn't anything, and now, I'm not even a concept. It's over. The end. 

Only, it isn't the end. When I come to, I find myself lying in a colorless world, breeze sweeping the area and everything sounded serene. I hear footsteps. "Are you alright, dear?" A familair, female voice asks. 

"Hey, if he's supposed to be Bendy, then who are you?" Another voice asks. 

"I'm Bendy. He's...well, uh... inky. That's it! We can call him inky!" 

I sit up to see three toons. Alice, Boris, and you. Bendy. It's really you! But how? I reach a hand out, wanting to see if it's real. If this isn't all a product of my imagination. 

"Are you okay? You were treated horribly there, weren't you?" Alice asks, placing my hand on my shoulder. She's real. 

"You may not have been me, but you're you, and that's important." You say. "You only have to be yourself here. You don't have to pretend to be what you're not anymore." 

Alice smiles. "You're safe now, Inky. Welcome home." 

My name is Inky. I'm not you, but I live in your world. You're like my older brother, and Boris and Alice are my best friends. Even the butcher gang are my friends. Together, we have fun playing games and pranking each other. I'm never judged for being different, and I'm loved for who I am. I'm finally free. Free from the pain and finally allowed to be myself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this. I wrote this last night before bed, so the ending may be a bit hard to understand. Basically, after Inky died, he ended up in the toon world, which was where he had wanted to go. He gets accepted by the other toons and gets to live there happily (because I'm a sucker for happy endings.)


	5. Beware The Dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice always told Bendy to beware the graveyard, and Bendy finds out why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so short. Just figured I'd put this here anyway though.

She told me before not to go to the graveyard. “Beware the dead,” she said. “You may accidentally disturb them.” Right after that, we continued our task of making flower crowns. The whole conversation of the graveyard was forgotten as we worked, fingers weaving the flowers together into crowns. One for me, one for her, and another for our friend when we ran into him again.

The graveyard conversation was forgotten. By the time I remembered her wise words, it was already too late. I was deep in the graveyard, panting from how fast I had fled from my angry friend and one of the dead I had encountered. My body was shaking slightly as I realized where I was and remembered her saying. It was just a saying. I’ll leave as soon as I catch my breath. It’ll be alright. The graveyard isn’t that bad. It can’t be that bad. When the shadow blocked out all the light, I remembered her saying.

She told me to beware the dead. Now, wandering the forlorn halls and empty rooms, I understand that you should beware the living more. Because, unlike the dead, they’re alive, and their dreams are so much worse than anything that the dead could ever devise.


	6. Popsicle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry and Bendy enjoy some popsicles on a warm summer day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It feels odd posting this in December, but this was something I wrote back awhile ago but didn't post until now.

“Hey, what’s that?” I reached for the thing Henry was holding. The package was cold in my hand, and I nearly dropped it.

“That’s a popsicle. Here, let me see it.” I gave it back and watched as he opened it, revealing something blue on a stick.

“You can eat it. It cools you off, and is good for summer time.”

“Can I try it?” Henry nodded and handed me the popsicle again. I hesitantly bit a little of it, and then smiled. “It tastes good!” I happily started licking and biting it.

“Don’t go too fast, Bendy. Otherwise, you’ll get a brain freeze.”

“What’s a brain freeze?” I asked.

“You don’t want to find out, but I feel you will. A brain freeze is basically when you eat or drink something cold too fast, and it hurts your head.”

“Ouch. It sounds painful.”

“It is. Just eat your popsicle slowly, okay?”

“Okay!” I happily ate my popsicle, looking at the cars heading down the road through the open window.

“Hey, Henry, are you going to have a popsicle, too?”

Henry thought for a moment, and then smiled. “Yeah, I think I will. It is getting a bit too warm in here.” He got up to go get himself a popsicle, and we sat on the porch, feeling the breeze as we both ate our popsicles.

“I think this summer is going to be the best,” I exclaimed. “Especially if we get to have more of these.”

“I have plenty in the freezer.”

“Thank you, Henry.”

He smiled. “You’re welcome, Bendy.”


	7. Projections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a lonely and scary cartoon studio, Bendy's only solace is the cartoons, which is a reminder of his friends and the way things used to be. While journeying down to watch the only available ones on level fourteen, Bendy runs into Norman. As Bendy finds out, the two are more alike than they seem, and a friendship begins to form.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was listening to the song "Projections" by CG5 and got inspired to write this. I figured I'd post this before going to bed. I hope you all enjoy!

Sometimes, he liked to look back. He'd look back and reminiscence on the way things used to be. Sometimes it hurt, leaving him longing for a place that he'd never be able to get back to. A place that he wasn't even sure was actually real. There were times where he wondered if it was all just figments of his imagination, or if it was just implanted memories. Imagination was something to be weary of. It was what had brought this horrible nightmare to life. A dream he couldn't wake from. 

He'd try to imagine what they would say. He liked to pretend that they were here, cheering him on and urging him to keep going. Comforting him when he was afraid or sad. It was hard sometimes, especially when they hated him now. Still, he could still hear their voices.

"It could always be worse, Bendy." He could hear Alice say. "Never forget to count your blessings, and always remember that we'll always be here for you."

So, he'd shut his eyes and count them. He'd list her and Boris first, and then move on to other things. On some days, the list was small, but it never was zero even when it seemed that he had nothing. There was always one thing. The cartoons. He could always watch them and see his friends. He could see Alice, Boris, and even the Butcher Gang. He could see his body. The way he was supposed to be. The way all of this was supposed to be. 

It wasn't always easy to find them. He had tons playing in his lair, but he couldn't reach it now. There was one last place he could go, but that was level fourteen. The level that he usually avoided. Still, he was desperate to see the cartoons. He wanted to see his friends, so he made up his mind that he'd go down there.

"Don't worry, Bendy." He could hear Boris say. "If anyone can do it, it's you! Think of the food that could be down there!"

"Wait, isn't food your motivation?" Bendy would ask him.

"Oh, right. Well, it can be yours too, you know! Or, you could just bring anything you find to me."

Then, the two would laugh. Or, at least they would if this was a cartoon. It wasn't though, and he couldn't bring himself to. Not when the whole conversation was just in his head, and when the real Boris was scared of him now. He shut his eyes for a moment, pushing back his sorrow, and then made an ink portal to level fourteen. 

The level was as dark and ink covered as he could remember. He listened and waited for the Projectionist's footsteps to fade before he went through the ink. The Projectionist was rather strong, and despite the fact that he was stronger, Bendy still didn't want to fight him. He just wanted to watch a cartoon and then go back to where he usually hid in the studio.

He found a projection and watched himself on the screen. This one didn't have Alice, unfortunately, but it at least had Boris. Boris had been his best friend the longest, so he was grateful that he could see him. Bendy watched himself on the screen. That's who he was supposed to be. The little black and white demon. The least threatening and the one with a good heart. The one that was loved. How everyone would be shocked now to see what he had become. He had lost everything about himself, hadn't he? It made him wonder if he even was Bendy, or if he was just some halfhearted attempt at making him. 

He wiped away the tears as he watched the projection. He was so caught up in it and in his sorrow that by the time he heard the Projectionist's footsteps, it was too late. The Projectionist turned the corner, light on Bendy. Bendy braced himself for the screech, but there was none. To his surprise, the Projectionist just stepped closer and turned his attention to the cartoons, too,

The two watched the scene play out again and again. Bendy couldn't help the sniffle, and was shocked when Projectionist leaned against him a bit, as if he wanted to offer comfort. Bendy gladly took it, the happiness he felt making him actually start crying. He soon felt better after the Projectionist hugged him. He began to think. The Projectionist wasn't always this way, right? No. Once, he used to be human. He was Norman, right? Norman Polk. Yeah, that's it. He used to be someone different, too. In a way, they both were stuck as someone that wasn't them. No wonder Norman had comforted him. They both knew the same pain.

At last, Bendy pulled away. It took a few tries to clear his throat, but he managed enough. "Thank you. That...That really meant a lot. Sometimes, I guess seeing the cartoons really make me homesick. It reminds me of the way things used to be, and how everything was supposed to be. I was supposed to be perfect and loved by all. Now, I'm just a monster. Everyone is scared of me. Even Boris, and Alice is nothing like the toon I used to know. Everything just reminds me that no matter what, I'll never be able to get back my old life, or my friends. Nothing will be the same."

The two creatures sat in silence. Bendy felt a little better getting it out, but the grief still hung onto him. Thoughts swirled around in his mind. Why did this have to happen? Why did their creator have to take them from everything they knew and loved. Why did he have to turn them into monsters?

His thoughts were interrupted by Norman tugging on his arm. It seemed the Projectionist was eager for Bendy to follow. The demon was confused, but let Norman lead him to where he wanted to go. Bendy found himself being led into this room. Inside were reels of film. They weren't labeled like they would be cartoon reels. He didn't understand, but it seemed Norman did. He threaded the film in the projector on his head and turned to the wall. A scene was projected, and Bendy went to stand by Norman to get a better look.

He could see a group of people. It was like a party. People were laughing and talking. The camera was positioned to look at all the people there. Bendy swore he could see Joey in the crowd, but that wasn't who the camera was focusing on.

"Hey, Norman." A voice spoke, the noise coming out of the speaker on Norman's chest. There was a man with a hat, one that looked to be Jack's. That must be him.

Another man came to join the first. "You got that camera again? Do you ever put that down? You know these things are meant for everyone to have fun, not for you to worry about a recording."

"I know, Sammy, but how else are we going to remember the fun times at this studio?"

Sammy rolled his eyes. "Those actually exist? Whoa, I figured they were a myth, since hardly anyone talks about them."

"Sammy, he's recording this! They'll hear you say that!" Jack exclaimed.

"Let them. I don't care."

Jack sighed. "Of course you don't."

"You know, Sammy, these things are meant for everyone to have fun, not to mope." Norman laughed.

"Using my own words against me. And I thought we were friends." Sammy was silent for a moment. "So, I take it that since you have that camera, you won't be dancing, huh?"

"I didn't say that."

The feed cut out, and the next part was the camera focusing on two men dancing. Bendy could recognize one of them as Sammy, and he guessed the other was Norman.

"Look at those two." Jack said with a laugh. The camera was on them until there was a crash. "Oh, I think Joey had too much to drink. He just spilt the punch all over Henry. Oh goodness."

The rest of the scenes were like that, times at the studio that Norman had recorded. As Bendy watched, he understood. Norman was almost the same as him. There was projections of who he used to be, but wasn't anymore. He'd never be able to go back there, and his friends would never be the same either. 

After the film was finished, Norman unthreaded it with shaky hands. He put it on the table and Bendy could see the inky tears welling up in the lens. This time, it was his turn to comfort his friend. He hugged Norman, quietly letting the Projectionist grieve while reminding him that he wasn't alone.

"We're both in pain and wishing for a life that we'll never get back. All we have are projections to remind us of who we used to be. I know it hurts. They took a lot from us, but they didn't take everything. We may not be able to get our old lives and memories back, but we can make the lives we lead now great, and we can make new memories together. Good ones. It's worth a shot, don't you think?"

Norman looked at Bendy and nodded, making the demon smile. "I was hoping you'd agree. We may not have a camera, but it doesn't matter. We can just remember the fun times. Now, let's see what we can do first."

As it turned out, it seemed Norman had quite a bit of ideas on things they could do. Bendy was grateful, following Norman with a genuine smile as they headed to do their first fun thing. Things in the studio weren't the best, but this would make it a little less like hell, and a little more like home. For Bendy, that was good enough.


End file.
